春の魔女
by starchetti
Summary: He, too, was a part of this dusty and forgotten painting left behind. Though, she doubted anyone could paint someone as lovely as he. "You're looking better," She mused as she pulled out a vial, "I think treatment is working. Any day now, you'll wake up."
1. Spring

"You can cut all the flowers,

but you cannot keep Spring from coming."

 **Pablo Neruda**

* * *

She started her early mornings by overlooking her garden. Vines weaved themselves up the moss kissed bricks of her outside walls, stones paved her path into her nature filled abyss. Her kingdom was filled with everything a young witch would need: chamomile, holly, roses, in abundance and more. Sakura Haruno was proud of her special haven; it was a young witches absolute dream. She was very, very good at keeping her plants soaked with life.

A witch was no good if she couldn't even keep life in a flower.

She was a living embodiment of Spring. Her cherry blossom soaked hair laid straight just past her shoulders, accented with a proper placed crimson bow sitting on the top of her head. She was told that red complimented her nature filled eyes, and since then she never was without the color. Her knitted turtleneck was a matching red, though a bit oversized, messily tucked into a black skirt. On this particular day, she carried a tanned bag across her torso.

On her forehead, almost blanketed by a thick swoop of bangs, rested a diamond shaped lilac kiss.

Sakura kept growing life in her garden since she was ten years old. Now, at thirteen, she was at the prime age for a young witch to challenge herself.

Stopping in place as her jade eyes locked on a not-so-perfect rose, the little witch frowned. It was completely wilted, which stuck out in its entirely against the bright, flawless red petals surrounding it. Negligence.

Her hands hovered over the pitifully wilted rose, willing the energy inside her to reach out to touch its browned stem and blackened petals. Her magic was like a pulse, centering from deep within her, flowing through her as she commanded. The young witch's jade eyes seemed to glitter once she saw the blush of the petals beginning to swell with their previous beauty; healing taking form. She allowed a little proud grin to decorate her expression as she stepped back to observe the once wilted rose resume its perfect place amongst the other healthy blooms.

"There," She breathed with a matter-of-fact nod.

Sakura continued on her way down her stoned path, past the gate, turned left once she was past the bakery, continue through until the edge of town, then carried on until she began to see hints of ruin and moss covered debris. Her eyes lifted to the untouched open gates, where the trees were so tall they blocked the sun. Ahead, eerily still under the tree's shadows, stood a manor. It looked untouched, forgotten, abandoned, but still the Spring-colored witch approached. It was as if she was stepping into a dusty painting; the scene before her was practically null of any color, only dull tones that were left behind after years and years of resting in a state of tragic desolate.

The little witch didn't bother to knock; she pushed the unnecessarily tall doors open with a small huff, allowing them to heavily close behind her once she entered.

"I'm back," She'd call into the seemingly absent space. With a wave of her petite hand, the candles that decorated the pathways lit up with rows of small flames. Though no voice responded to her, she carried on as if there was a voice to follow, up the wide staircase that creaked with age under her feet. The corridor meeting her at the top of the stairs seemed near endless with doors on each side, in perfect symmetry as she looked straight ahead. One could spend hours looking beyond each door, but Sakura knew her destination like muscle memory: the fourth door, on the left.

She peered into the room, her head first before she stepped in. On the bed laid the shell of a man, laying over the sheets in gentle perfection. The witch approached, digging into her tan bag before stopping just at his bedside. "I brought your medicine," Even as she spoke, the man didn't move. He, too, was a part of this dusty and forgotten painting left behind. Though, she doubted anyone could paint someone as lovely as he. "You're looking better," She mused as she pulled out a vile, "I think treatment is working. Any day now, you'll wake up."

When she first stumbled upon him, nearly a month prior, his skin was cracked and aged, paper thin, like a wall with peeling wallpaper. What was left of his body clung to his bones. Yet, she knew he was alive.  
With careful movements, she opened the vile in her hand (his 'medicine') and reached over his slightly parted mouth. His skin still looked dry, but it too, like the roses in her garden, was swelling with life. Slowly, granted, but the change was apparent. Deep red liquid was left on the man's cracked lips that did little to hide a pair of sharp fangs, and Sakura looked proud. "I brought you a gift, too," She announced as she placed the vile back into her bag, then pulled out a small woven bag made of cotton on his bedside table, "It's an Onyx stone. It'll help ward off evil things. I charmed it myself; it'll protect you while I'm gone, until tomorrow."

* * *

Tomorrow came, and the little witch dropped her bag with a loud ' _thump_ ' when she entered the man's room.

The room looked the same as it had yesterday and the days before; dusty, dark and unwelcoming, yet for the first time there was a very apparent difference between then and now:

He was gone.

The little girl paused for a moment, contemplating what to do. He was gone, gone! As if she was convinced her eyes were simply deceiving her, she stepped over her dropped bag and approached the bedside as she normally would, inspecting the absent silhouette. All she found was a clear outline where he had been for so long. She found the little void a bit relatable; she felt a sort of absence from the sight, too. She had come here for so long, what if he didn't need her healing anymore?

Her thoughts clearly weren't prioritized, focusing more on her loneliness than the fact that there was a grown Vampire _somewhere_ about. A Vampire who clearly had been unable due to starvation from leaving his 'humble' abode in, at the least, decades. A Vampire who was still, probably, starved, yet well enough to move. The little witch didn't sense the danger, at least, not soon enough; those thoughts of danger were secondary.

As if on cue with her sudden thoughts of the calculated danger, the pinkette slowly turned to look over her shoulder when she heard the buckle from the strap of her bag clink against the floor.

...She found him.

Green eyes wide, she stared at the pale, scrawny yet handsome man in the doorway. His hair was displaced, mostly hanging over half his face, on the left side. In his hand, which she noticed second (another example of her priorities being a little _off_ ), was her little vile of 'medicine'. His eyes were hungry, dark, yet familiar. They reminded her of something.

"T-That's for you," She managed through a small voice, "I brought it for you..."

His eyes, void of anything besides hunger, locked onto her small frame at the sound of her voice. His jaw was clenched, she noticed. Due to pain? She wasn't sure, but her chest ached with concern.

The little witch's knees shook as she took a step to fully face him. The movement made the man narrow his eyes, watching her, tracking her. _Like prey_ , she thought with a gulp. Yet, still, she continued towards him. "I filled the vile with a bit of my blood. I-I'm a witch, so it'll help you faster than regular human or animal blood. I-It's charmed, too, to heal your body faster... I-I'm sorry, it's probably not enough to satisfy you, b-but I wasn't sure if the blood would've been too strong to handle in your state. I-I also wasn't sure if I had done the charm correctly, so I wanted to...to slowly see if it was working. B-but, I-I think it is! You're much stronger n-now than before... And-"

"Shut up."

The instinct of caution and defense rose within her at the sound of his gruff unused voice, didn't even move, but just stared at her. Feeling her breathing hitch, she took a step back only to be met by the side of his bed. Unbalanced, she sat where he had been laying for decades. The girl was now holding her breath.

With slow, rigid movements, the man opened the vile and lifted it to his irritably dry mouth. It was the little witch's turn to stare now, watching as he finished the contents inside. He even paused when all of it was out, to make sure every single drop was consumed.

He released a quiet, slow sigh after. Sakura translated this as relief, and shakily resumed her own breathing. The silence between them grew, awkward and apparent, as she kept herself deathly still. Surely, by now, if he wanted her to be dead, he would've done so already. She swallowed again to moisten her nervous throat. She felt her pulse like crashing waves against her chest. "Can I come back tomorrow?"

When he didn't respond, she hesitantly stood, then scampered past him with a sudden burst of adrenaline, leaving behind her bag. She was gone, until tomorrow.

It wasn't until she was already out the door when she realized what his eyes reminded her of.

Onyx.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

I had a lot of fun with this one. I saw a piece of fanart with a witch Sakura and vampire Sasuke and couldn't resist.

If you like, please also leave a review. I really appreciate ideas and feedback and encouragement. 3

(人´∀`)ありがとー

Note: The title is somewhat of a pun in Japanese. It translates to "Spring Witch", but when spoken out loud, it is "Haru No Majo". Sakura's family name in Japanese is "Haruno", written as 春野. That's why I chose this title, because both are spoken as "Haruno".


	2. Idiocy

こんにちは、みんな様

Thank you for continuing to stay with me for this story. I wanted to, before you read ahead, reply to some reviews and private messages I graciously received.  
 **"Why did you make Sakura 13 years old?"**

Simply, content. If I made her older, I felt that the story would've progressed too quickly. This way, it's slower, more plot focused rather than immediately romantic, _yet._ I also wanted the option to emphasize her growth and development. Once I have established a bond between the two, I plan to skip a few years to carry on with the romance aspect. There's also a level of innocence, I think, within her is essential to the story. If an adult Sakura stumbled upon a suffering yet _dangerous_ creature, I think she would've done the _smart_ thing rather than the more _emotionally driven_ thing of attempting to save him, which probably would've been killing him to put him out of his misery. I hope that makes sense.

" **You spelt 'Vial' wrong!"**

I'm so embarrassed. Thank you for pointing it out, as I most definitely would've continued to make that same mistake going forward! My english has definitely been neglected in recent months. Please do not be afraid, continuing, to correct me if I misspell another word. I truly do appreciate it! It gives me something to laugh about. Please, also, forgive these silly mistakes of mine if they arise again.

On with the chapter!

* * *

"What a strange thing!

to be alive

beneath cherry blossoms."

― **Kobayashi Issa**

* * *

She stood inside of the large home again, this time, with her broomstick in hand. After hearing the heavy close of the doors behind her, she paused in the nearing silence. The sound echoed just slightly, emphasizing the empty space beyond her. "I'm back," She announced with a strange voice, knowing that this time, he surely heard her. The girl's eyes immediately looked towards the top of the staircase, this time unsure if he was truly there or not.

Sakura never took time to fully inspect and explore this huge place, she only went up to his room, and out. She knew there was a garden in the back, but only because it was visible on the walk towards the entrance. If she had suddenly the need to go in search of him, she doubted she'd be able to find him without exhausting herself of her magical prowess.

With a little hum, she glanced down at the vial in her hand. Would it be too impolite to set the vial down and simply leave? Surely, that'd be the safest thing to do. Run while you still can, so to say. Her personal thoughts and preferences, though, weren't exactly concerned with what was the most logical and safe route. After a month of seeing him everyday, it became comfortable. Routine.

Granted, him waking up seemed to have broken this nice little _routine_ of hers. Why was this so much of a surprise to her? This was the goal, afterall, to nurse him to a state of capability; a state of proper _living_ , but now, she was fearful of the encounter. Now, it felt a bit embarrassing - waltzing into someone's chambers when the other is able to be _aware_ of it. Before, this manor felt like uncharted territory with no one to claim it. Now, that the man was awake, this area was no longer desolate.

"What am I doing?" She felt her ears rise with shameful heat, "I should at least _knock_ now-"

"That's what a civilized pest would do."

Sakura's entire body became rigid as she quickly looked over her shoulder at her sudden company. His voice was just as gruff as it was before, and hostile. It looked as if he was looming over her, but she realized it was mainly due to his posture being weak and slouched. He was still tall, though, even when hunched over some.

His eyes. The girl found herself subconsciously staring, for many moments too long, near hypnotized by the Onyx abyss glaring down at her with the same blazing hunger as before. He was close. Threateningly close. As if he was just moments away from attacking; from sinking his beastly teeth into her windpipe. At such a violent thought, she swallowed.

The vampire sighed in cold annoyance before stepping past her to sluggishly carry himself up the tower of stairs ahead. The girl followed, a feeling of desperation swelling in her chest. It hurt.

"I can help," Sakura frowned, "In your current state, you won't be able to make it to your room without over exhausting yourself. Here, I-I brought you some more medicine! It'll help, just like before-" Her little frame bumped into his as she had been looking down to open the vial while maneuvering the shaft of the broomstick under her arm. The man had stopped on the staircase, "You'll feel better." She tried.

"I will not feel better."

"I charmed it myself, you'll-"

" _I will not feel better_." He repeated, this time turning to glare at her from the corner of his eye. His increasingly hostile tone silenced Sakura, feeling like if she spoke another word, he'd surely silence her himself.

She could've sworn that she saw a spark of red in those eyes.

She watched him, frozen in place, as the Vampire made his way back up the stairs, slamming the door. The sound echoed.

* * *

Her presence had been rejected, and her skills left unacknowledged and certainly not appreciated.

Sakura had a hard time swallowing that.

Was he not impressed by her skill? At her age, even? Did he really not take notice to her apparent persistence, every day for an entire month, for healing?

She wanted to be mad. Maybe she was, a little, but she was mostly wounded. Proper hurt.

Though, what had she really expected anyway? A pat on the head? A bouquet of flowers, a walk to the door, waving as she went on her merry way? No, she didn't expect any of that, and she certainly didn't expect his hostility. She didn't _expect_ a 'thank you', she wasn't even sure she wanted one.

She wanted certain words of notice. She wanted to know that he knew how capable of a witch she was.

Though, again, she didn't know why. Whom was he to her, anyway? No one. A stranger. Why did she, in her subconscious, seek his approval?

These thoughts and more bore into her mind as she sat near the entrance to his room, against the wall, knees tightly hugged to her chest. The vial and her broomstick were tucked beside her. She was like a little puppy waiting for attention, and she felt stupid for it.

She felt stupid that she wanted his notice so badly. Stupid that she felt so harmed by his rejection. Stupid that she couldn't think rationally and just walk away, but instead seemed to prefer waiting. At least, this way, she could say that she didn't give up. She felt stupid for thinking that.

She felt like a stupid _child_ , not a dignified witch of thirteen years old.

A stupid _child_ who was too overly attached to this monsterous person, a monsterous person who could very easily (and possibly, very soon) kill her without a second thought.

How long had she been sitting here pouting anyway? An hour? Probably closer to two.

Stupid.

Stupid.

 _Stupid._

"Stu-pid."

Her body went rigid as she snapped her head up in reflex, wide emerald eyes meeting onyx as she observed the man crouched down in front of her. He was balancing on the fronts of his feet, elbows meeting his knees as he tilted his head boredly, looking at the witch with quizzically narrowed eyes. She had been too focused on herself earlier, and apparently didn't even notice his bedroom door open.

 _Stupidly unguarded._

"You haven't left yet." It was a statement rather than a question, his tone lightly incredulous. Though, he didn't sound impressed, rather taken aback by her idiocy.

"...Because you didn't take your medicine." She responded back.

"I didn't take my medicine," He repeated her words back slowly, keeping his eyes narrowed. "That's not medicine. It's _food_. You're trying to feed me."

The girl didn't respond immediately. She didn't like thinking of this that way, even though that was the situation in all simplicity. Calling it 'medicine' was her way of separating herself from the contents of the vial. That wasn't _her blood_ , but rather _his medicine_. It sounded less grotesque. He kept his head tilted as he continued to watch her expression.

"I'm trying to _help_ you..." Sakura said, averting her eyes down. She realized how naïve that must've sounded as soon as the words passed her lips.

"What makes you think that you're helping me?" The man asked, almost completely monotone. The questioned surprised the girl, who's eyebrows came together in confusion. What did he mean? Of course she was helping. He was better now. He could walk now. Finally, he woke up. Before the girl could reply, he continued, as if he could read her thoughts, "Just because I'm responsive?"

"Is that… not true?" Sakura asked, "Is there something else I should be doing to help you?"

"How old are you?"

"Th-Thirteen," Her cheeks reddened slightly. She was trying to say that number with more pride, perhaps to get some sort of compliment out of the other. "By the way, that _means_ , for a witch, I am-"

"Magically mature, yes, I am aware," His onyx eyes rested on the vial and broomstick next to her, "Unfortunately for you, your magical ability is irrelevant when it comes to feeding."

"That's not true! As I said before, I charmed it myse-"

"Why did you bring your broomstick?"

Sakura huffed irritably. For someone who had not wanted to talk at all before, he sure was talking a lot now. Maybe it was because he hadn't for so long. Though, she noticed, his tone was surprisingly much more gentle and composed than before. "It allows me to fly."

"I know it's _purpose_." He tilted his head again. He almost looked amused, which surprised the girl. She started staring again, "You're at least decently intelligent."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?"

The vampire reached out towards the girl, which made her flinch and instinctively lean away from his touch. He took her by her forearm, forcing her to a stance. His hand still looked bony and dry, it made her chest hurt. "You came here during the daytime, with your broomstick. Clearly, you were already thinking of an escape tactic, incase if I tried to _devour_ you." He stood up. "You were going to get outside as quick as you could, knowing that in my condition, I wouldn't be able to stand in direct sunlight for long. You seem to understand danger well enough."

"I-I do..."

"Then leave." He let go of her, pointing his chin towards the staircase, directing her to exit. "Leave."

Sakura's frustration was welling up inside of her. If there was an emotion she was terrible at controlling, it was frustration, and it always physically translated into tears swelling into her eyes. He wasn't listening to a word she said. Not a single thing. The malnourished vampire looked down at her, showing no reaction to her tears. He simply coldly stared as she bent down to grab her broomstick, purposely leaving the vial where it was.

"I'm coming back tomorrow." She said, matter-of-factly. "You need my help."

He glared at her, "I don't-"

" _You need my help_!" She shouted, her knuckles whitening around the shaft of the broomstick. "You were just laying there, starving! You weren't restrained or locked somewhere, every door was open! For decades, you were rotting away! But you chose it! You were just _laying_ _there_!" Sakura stared down at the floor below her, unable to bring her eyes up to face him. "I know you don't want my help, I know that! But I- I don't care! I'm going to try anyway! _I'm coming back tomorrow_!"

The girl didn't pause or give the other a moment to respond, she simply stomped past him. At the bottom of the tower of stairs, her hand still tightly gripping her broom, she yelled over her shoulder: "-And my name is Sakura, by the way!"

"You're loud..."

* * *

Thank you for staying with me again for this update. I'm becoming more and more excited and motivated with this project.

I was writing between projects and classes, so if it's a little choppy, please excuse it!

I read every one of your reviews, so please, send me your thoughts and ideas.

(人´∀`)ありがとー


	3. Bold

_He was happy._

 _He was outside, in the sun._

 _Nothing was complicated._

 _It was Springtime, and he was surrounded by his family._

 _The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and never withered. They were eternal._

 _This was his home, his sanctuary, his paradise. Always safe and secure, just as he remembered it._

 _Nothing was complicated._

 _It was untouched perfection, undisturbed._

 _Nothing was complicated._

 _Nothing was complicated._

 _He was home._

 _He wasn't alone._

 _And then,_

 _He woke up._

* * *

 _You were just laying there!_

Sakura woke up to the memory of her own shouting voice, her chest swelling with anxiety and regret. Oh gosh, she had said an awful lot yesterday. Perhaps too much. Really, who was she to throw accusations at him? ...Arguably, from what she deducted, those accusations were more like cruel facts, but she certainly wasn't entitled to shout whenever she felt like it.

 _You chose it!_

That's what she believed. It was a sort of tragedy, in her mind, what he was doing to himself. A sort of huge shame. What a shame, she thought, for a creature to be suffering without the strength to do anything about it. For life to be there, still there, yet no one was aware of him. His quiet existence was as good as dead, except he wasn't dead. He was just forgotten. What a shame, she thought.

She blamed her insufferable persistence to him on her being a witch. Witches had an enormous respect for life, all life. Life was the most precious concept in the world to a witch, even the life that chose to suffer alone. Sakura knew that all life deserved better than that. There was a clear difference between 'being alive' and 'living'. The vampire, alone in his dusty painting, was not 'living'.

When she finally willed herself to get dressed, to pull on her shoes and to tie her bow, her feet dragged her back to that once desolate place.

Once again, she found herself in front of the large doors that separated this sunny outside place to the vampire's domain. Sakura took a breath, her entire existence hesitant, unable to even bring herself to lift up a fist to knock on the door. Her hands felt clammy. She tapped her foot in place lightly, as if the movement would somehow motivate her to _move_. It didn't.

 _You can do it, Sakura!_ Could she?

 _Just- Just knock on the door, and then apologize! First thing you do, apologize!_ Sounds easier _thought out_ than done, surely.

 _That'll make it better! No- No, it won't make it better, but it's the thought that counts! Surely such a concept would be known to an ageless vampire!_ Sakura wasn't so sure.

"Alright," She breathed out under her breath before bringing her petite fist to the wood of the door, making a little 'clack' of a knock.

She could hear the little sound echo inside, and wondered if he'd even open the door. She had shouted at him that she was coming back, and he didn't protest to it.

Well.

The girl didn't exactly give him a moment to reply back. She had stomped her little self back down the stairs without even looking up to view his expression. That counted, right? If he really _wanted_ to say no or to insist that she didn't come back, he would've found a way. Yeah. Yeah! He hadn't failed before of sneaking up on her by appearing suddenly, he could've done that again!

At least she had shouted an introduction before leaving.

The little witch paused, remembering that.

Wow, that was bold of her.

"..."

Sakura suddenly turned around on her heel, promptly intending on evacuating the premises.

She had never felt more spiritually connected with the word 'nope' in her entire life.

The loud creak of the doors behind her made the girl stop before going very far at all, glancing over her shoulder. The door was opened, just enough to allow her access. She couldn't see the vampire, figuring he was staying out of the way due to the sunlight.

"...It's...okay?" Sakura heard herself ask out of surprise, hardly believing that she was being let in by the vampire's own choice.

"5 seconds." He spoke out, "4 seconds."

She scampered inside.

* * *

 _He had woken up._

 _His eyes opened to stare at the ceiling above. It was too quiet, far too quiet to be anything like the world he had been in moments before._

 _This wasn't 'home'._

 _His body ached and protested as he sat himself up, clearly hearing a few 'cracks' as he did. The first thing he noticed was how frail he had become as he looked at his hands, though the second thing he noticed was how apathetic he was to that. He was frail, yes, though not as frail as he would've expected to be. Either way, he didn't care. His eyes guided his consciousness towards the window, blocked only by heavy curtains that weren't the same color as he remembered. Everything appeared... Dull._

 _But, again, he didn't care._

 _The sunlight just barely passed through the bottom of the curtains, light catching onto the wooden floors and the sprinkles of dust hanging in the air. Everything felt still._

 _The silent stillness made the only thing that the vampire cared out painfully and unbearably apparent:_

 _He was completely alone._

* * *

The girl had ran inside, turning after to view the slouchy vampire shut the door after her.

To her pleasant surprise, he didn't wear his usual hostile-grumpy expression as he had before: Though he wasn't smiling, he wasn't glaring at her either. He released a silent sigh after she entered, closed the door, then glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. He just looked plain grumpy now, which Sakura supposed was an upgrade.

"...You're-"

"I'd like to first start out by saying how terribly, _terribly_ sorry I am for what I said yesterday." Sakura suddenly bowed, deeply, at the other. Her crimson bow flopping downwards as she did. "I-I was upset and frustrated, but that's really no excuse for shouting at you. I-I understand, after much thought and self-reflection, that I should've explained my thoughts in a more civilized manner and I should've not been so- so accusative." She took a short breath, "Even though I could've very well have been totally correct, it still isn't a topic I should've approached so aggressively. I'm really, _really_ sorry."

There was a lingering silence before the girl peeked up, her nature filled eyes worried as she tried to find some sort of readable thought in his expression. She was holding her breath.

"Sakura, was it?"

She blinked before finding her words. He remembered! "Y-Yes! Sakura! I'm Sakura! Sakura Haruno!"

"Sakura Haruno." He repeated, trying the name on his lips, before adjusting his posture. Sakura realized then that he looked healthier than yesterday. He still looked sickly, yes, but the texture in his skin was becoming less like wrinkled paper. His bones didn't show quite as much in the knuckles of his hands and in his wrists as they had yesterday. Even in his face, which had finally started to fill out some. Small changes, changes that another probably wouldn't notice, but Sakura was naturally observant.

He had drank the vial that she left behind. Sakura cleared her throat, a light blush rising to her cheeks. She was happy. "...Is it... Is it okay to ask you what your name is?"

The vampire had paused, tilting his head some. He looked like he was thinking about it. After a moment of silence, Sakura raised her hands up in a sort of defense, "Y-You don't have to tell me!" She hurriedly assured the other, "I was just curious, you know, since I've been seeing you everyday for a while and-"

"Sasuke."

"W-what?"

"My name. It's Sasuke."

* * *

Again, thank you so much for returning back for Chapter Three.

I really appreciate reviews and PM's! I'm slowly working towards the main plot, so if you have suggestions, I'd love to read them and consider many different ideas and opinions.

My goal is to make this story good enough that people want to do fanart of it. I'd die of absolute happiness. 《《o(≧◇≦)o》》

POSSIBLY A FAR OFF GOAL, BUT I'M WORKING AT IT.

(人´∀`)ありがとｰ


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